- Lifespan
- 20–30 years in the wild; the oldest recorded UK individual was over 32 years old
- Size & Weight
- 35–37 cm, wingspan 86–98 cm; 200–350 g
- Habitat
- Coastal areas, inland lakes, reservoirs, marshes, and urban environments including parks and rubbish tips throughout the UK.
- UK Distribution
- Year-round resident across the UK, with numbers boosted in winter by migrants from continental Europe; most abundant in coastal regions and inland water bodies.
- Diet
- Omnivorous and opportunistic; feeds on fish, crustaceans, insects, molluscs, kitchen scraps, and vegetation including seeds and berries.
- Prey
- Fish fry, small fish (especially sprats and anchovies), shrimps, insects, worms, and discarded human food
- Predators
- Great Black-backed Gulls, foxes, and occasionally peregrines take adults; eggs and chicks vulnerable to corvids, foxes, and mink
- Mating Season
- March to July, with peak breeding April to June
- Breeding
- Clutch of 2–3 eggs; incubation period 22–24 days; single brood per year; chicks fledge at 5–6 weeks; often breed colonially on islands, marshes, and rooftops
- Behaviour
- Highly social and vocal, forming large flocks especially in winter. Intelligent and adaptable, readily exploiting urban food sources. Notorious for pilfering food from people in seaside towns and parks.